Apparatus for cleaning sand filter-beds.



No. 729,719. l EATENTED JUNE 2, 1903.

. E. W. ELAISDELL. l

APPARATUS EOE CLEANING SAND FILTERV BEDS.

`APPLwATIoN'FILED MAY 3. 1,992. No MODEL.

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Y PATENTED JUNE z, 1903.

H. W. BLAIsDELL.

APPARATUS EUR CLEANING SAND FILTER BEDS.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 3. `1902.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

` No MODEL.

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PATENTED JUNE 2,Y 1903.

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APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SAND FILTER BEDS.

N0 MODEL.

No. 729,719. i PATENTED JUNE 2, 1903.

H. W. BLAISDELL.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SAND FILTER BEDS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 3. 1902. N0 MODEL. A 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

. PATENTED JUNE 2, 190B.' a

H. W. BLAISDELL. APPARATUS FOR GLEANING SAND FILTER BE S.

Y APPLICATION FILED MAY-3. 1902. N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

llilllllllill ll Il im umm Q5' 6? l y ANS/A1?? mm Kw Nrrnn raras Patented June 2, 1903.

Arran-2i" erica AlPARATUs FOR' CLEANING SAND FILTER-BEDS.

SEEGEFICATION forming ypart of Letterslatent No. 729,719, dated June 2, 1903.

Application filed May 3, 1902. Serial No. 105,777. (No modela i To @ZZ wir/01a it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM W. BLAISDELL, a'

citizen of the United States,residing at Yuma, in the county of Yuma and Territory of'Arizona, have invented new and useful Improve-` ments in Apparatus for Cleaning Sand Filter-Beds, (Oase 15,) of which the following isl a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for cleansing the surface of the sand" composing the bed of filters used in purifying the supply of water to cities and towns..

These filters are of various kinds, but are usually laid ont in a series of beds made of sand and inclose'd by walls running longitu- The watering the filter-bed, thus leaving upon the surface of the sand the impurities previouslyv contained in the water-supply. These impuritiesin time form a film or crust uponthe upper surface of the sand,and the sand nea'r the upper surface becomes covered with im-i purities, which interferes with the efficiency' of the filter-bed, and it becomes necessary to remove this film or crust and to cleanse the sand upon the surface of the bed. VAs these filter-beds are of large area, to do thiswork of cleansing the surface without the aid ofmachinery or mechanical apparatus involves an enormous amount of labor and expense; and it is the object ofthis invention to provide an apparatus which will thoroughly re move the film or crust from the surface of the bed and also cleanse the sand upont the upper surface from the impurities herein-before set forth.

It is the further object of the invention to provide a strong, simple, and durable machine for the purpose hereinbefore set forth, and to provide a machine which shall be adapted to follow the inequalities of the surface of the filter-bed and to remove the impurities therefrom without removing the sand.

The invention consists, in an apparatus for cleaning sand filter-beds, of-a mixing-chamber, means for washing the surface of the sand surrounded by said mixing-chamber, means 'forcarryin g said mixing-chamber over the surface of said filter-beds, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber about an axial center located outside said mixingchamber. i

The invention again consists in a mixingchamber, mechanism for carrying said mix- Ving-chamber over the surface of said filterbeds, means guided bythe upper surface of said filter-beds to determine the relative'location of saidv mixing-chamber to said surface, and mechanism to revolve said mixingchamber while it is being carried over the surface of th'lter-beds about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber.

The invention again consists, in an-appara- Vtus of the character described, of a mixingchamber, a rake inclosed within said mixingchamber, mechanism. to rotate said rake, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber 'and rake about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber.

The invention fu rther consists, in an appa- 'ratus of the character described, of a vertiand revolve said mixing-chamber about said axial center.

The invention finally consists in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims'thereof.`

Referring tothe drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of a sand filter-bed with the inclosing walls and my improved apparatus for cleaning said sand filter-beds shown in elevation in connection therewith, both apparatus and.iilter-bed being broken away to save space in the drawings. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of a filter-bed and of my improved apparatus for cleaning the same. Flg. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of my improved apparatus for cleaning filter-beds. Fig. v4 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section of the upper por- '5 tion of myimproved filter-bed-cleaning apparatus, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1 looking toward the right in said figure. Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a mixing-chamber with a float consisting of an air-chamber attached to each of the radial end walls of said mixingchamber. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the mixing-chamber illustrated in Fig. 7.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 represents a sand filter-bed in transverse section, in which 11 12 are the side walls, 1 3 the sand composing the surface of the filter-bed, and 14 the water which is to be purified by filtration.

The apparatus is directly supported upon a supplementary carriage 15, said carriage 15 being provided with wheels 16, which run upon tracks 17, provided upon the main carriage 18. The main carriage 18 is provided with wheels 19, which run upon tracks 20 20, provided upon the upper surface of the walls 11 12. `lt will be seen that the main carriage 18 moves lengthwise of the filter-bed upon the4 tracks 20, provided upon the Walls 1l 12, and that the supplementary carriage, upon which my improved mechanism is directly supported, movescrosswise ofthe filter-bed upon the tracks 17, which extend lengthwise of the main carriage 18, but transversely of the lilter-bed, and thus it will be seen that my improved apparatus may be moved lengthwise and transversely of the filter-bed as desired.

It is essential in apparatus of the character described that the cleansingdevice should be moved over the whole surface of the bed, that it should be capable lof following the undulating surl'ace of said bed without changing materially the relation of the working parts thereof, and that it' should be capable of being raised and lowered bodily, and, further, that the sand should not be removed from the bed, but should be cleansed by raking or stirring the surface of said sand and at the same time washing it and subsequently removing the impurities, leaving the sand upon the surface of the bed thoroughly cleansed. It is very essential thatin the use of a suction-pipe the same should be so attached as to remove said impurities without sucking up the surface of the sand and making inequalities in the surface of the iilter-bed. To attain these results, I provide, primarily, a mixing-chamber 21, which is provided with means whereby it may be raised and lowered upon the supplementary carriage 15 and also guided to preserve the same general relation to the surface of the sand filter-bed. In the interior of this mixing-chamber I provide a rake 22, either stationary or rotary, and above the rake is provided a horizontal suction-pipe 23, which removes the impure water from said mixingchamber, the water by which the cleansing of the sand is performed being introduced through another pipe 24. The mixing-chamber 21 is preferably closed at the top, as shown in Fig. 4; but a closed top is not absolutely essential. The mixing-chamber 21 is provided with curved side walls 25 25 and radial end walls 26 26. These four vertical walls inclose a certain area of the surface 13 and are supported upon a carrierframe 27. Said carrier-frame consists of a central cross-bar 28, two end cross-bars 29 29, connected to said central cross-bar by side bars 30 and by brace-rods 31, fast at their outer ends to said end cross-bars and at their inner ends by means of the springs 32 to a collar 33, said collar being in turn fastened rigidly to a vertical suction-pipe 34. The vertical suction-pipe and horizontal suctionpipes 23 are joined together by a T connection 35. The horizontal suction-pipes 23 are connected to thev top 36 of the mixing-chamber 21 by an elbow 37. The vertical suctionpipe 34 extends upward from the carrierframe 27, Fig. 5, and has a collar 38, fast to the upper end thereof by means of set-screws 39. The suction-pipe 34 is splined to a bevelgear 40 and is arranged to slide vertically in a bearing 41, fast to the supplementary-carriage platform 42. The suction-pipe 34 is guided still further in its rotary and vertical movements by a stationary pipe 43, which is fast to a cross-frame 44 upon the supplementary carriage 15 and extends downwardly therefrom into the upper end of the suctionpipe 34. A stuffing-box 45 of any desirable construction forms a tight joint between the pipes 43 and 34.

The suction-pipe 34, together with the carrier-frame 27 attached thereto and the parts hereinafter described supported upon said carrier-frame, are all raised and lowered by means of chains or wire ropes 46, which pass over pulleys 47 'and are operated by means of a windlass 48 and handle 49, all supported upon the supplementary carriage 15. ropes 46 are connected by hooks 50 to ears 51 upon the collar 38. As the suction-pipe 34is raised and lowered the bevel-gear 40 is prevented from moving vertically by means of brackets 52, the upper ends of which project into a groove formed in the hub of said bevelgear.

The upper end of the stationary suctionpipe 43 is connected by pipes 53 and 54 to a centrifugal suction-pump 55. The centrifugal pump is rigidly attached to the platform 42 and is provided with anvoutlet-pipe 56, arranged to discharge into a trough 57, extending lengthwise of the main carriage 18 transversely of the filter-bed, said trough being fast to said main carriage 18 and discharging into a channel or trough 58, provided in the upper face of the wall 12, said channel conveying the water, together with The.

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the impurities contained therein, to a sewerfast to the driving-shaft thereof and meshing into an intermediate gear 8, which meshes into a gear 61, fast to a shaft 62, which turns in bearings 63 upon the supplementary carriage 15 and has fast to one end thereof a bevel-gear 64, which meshes into and is driven by the bevel-gear 40. The bevel-gear 40 is in turn driven by a bevel-gear 65, fast to a shaft 66, which rotates in bearings 67 upon the supplementary carriage 15 and has a spurgear 68 fast thereto and meshing into a pinion 69, fast to the driving-shaft of an electric motor 70. The shaft 6G has fast to the lefthand end thereof, Figs. 1 and 2, a bevel-'gear 71, which meshes into bevel-gears 72 73. The bevel-gears 72 73 are alternatelylocked to and disengaged from a shaft 74'by a clutch 75, splined to said shaft and operated by means of a lever 7 6. The shaft 74 rotates in bearings 77, supported upon the supplementary carriage 15, and has a sprocket-gear 78, connected by a sprocket-chain 9 to a sprocketgear 79, fast to a shaft 80, extending transversely of the carriage `15 and having fast at each end thereof one of the wheels 16. The wheels 16 are rotated by means of said shaft and run upon the tracks 17, thus propelling the supplementary carriage and the parts carried thereby lengthwise of the main carriage 18 and transversely of the filter-bed. The main carriage 18, together with the 'supplementary carriage and the parts carried thereon, are propelled lengthwise of the lterbed by means of a motor 81, supported upon the main carriage and having a gear 82 fast to the driving-shaft thereof. Said gear 82 meshes into a gear 83, fast to ashaft 84, which rotates in bearings 85 upon the main carriage 18 and has fastened to one end thereof a bevelgear 86, which meshes into bevel-gears 87 and 88. The bevel-gears 87 and 88 are alternately locked to and disengaged from a shaft 89 by means of a clutch 90, operated by a lever 91. The shaft 89 rotates in bearings 92, fast to the main carriage 18, and has fastened to one end thereof a sprocket-gear 93, which is operatively connected by a sprocket-chain 94 to a sprocket-gear 95. The sprocket-gear 95 is fast to a shaft 96, extendinglengthwise of the main carriage 18 and rotatingin bearings 97 thereon. At each endof the shaft 96 is fastened one of the wheels 19, and as said wheels are rotated by the mechanism hereinbefore described through lthe shaft 96 the main carriage 18 is propelled lengthwise of the filter-bed, together with the supplementary carriage thereon and the parts supported by said supplementary. carriage.

The mixing-chamber 21' is preferably divided into two compartments 98 99 by a horizontal perforated partition 100. In the lower compartment 99 is provided arake 22, which may be rigidly fast to the chamber 21, but is preferably arranged to rotate as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Said rake consists of arms 101, formed of pipe and having hollow teeth 102 fastthereto and projecting downwardly therefrom, said hollow teeth being provided with discharge-outlets 103. The rake. 22 is fast to the lower end of a rotary water-pipe 104, said rotary water-pipe being connected, through a'packing-box 105 and elbow 106, to a horizontal water-pipe 24. The water-pipe 24 is stationary as regards rotary movement, but revolves with the carrier-frame 27 and is connected by pipes 107 108 to a rotary pump 109. Said rotary pump 109 is driven by a sprocket-gear 110, connected by a sprocketchain 111 to a sprocket-gear 112, fast to the driving-shaft 113 of the electric motor 114, and draws the supply of water from the surface of the filter-bed by means of a pipe 128.

The rake 22 at the left of Figs. 3 and 4 is rotated by a bevel-gear. 115, fast to the pipe 104 and meshing into a bevel-gear 116, fast to a shaft 117, which turns in bearings 118 119, supported upon the carrier-frame 27. The shaft 117 has fast to the right-hand end thereof a sprocket-gear 120, connected by a sprocket-chain 121 to a sprocket-gear 122, fast to the shaft 113.

A mixing-chamber, rake, and suction-pipe are provided at the right-hand end of the carrier-frame 27, Fig. 1, and the construction of said parts is the same as that of similar parts described and shown at the left-hand end of Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the' rake at said right-hand end of the carrier-frame being driven by a horizontal shaft 123, which rotates in bearings 124 upon the carrier-frame and has fast to the left-hand end thereof a sprocketgear 125, driven by a sprocketchain 126, which in turn is driven by a sprocket-gear 127, fast to the shaft113.

The teeth of the rake 22 preferably project below the surface of the sand 13, so that the water which is forced out through the discharge-outlets 103 in the hollow teeth 102 passes upwardly through the sand and washes the impurities therefrom int'o the lowercompartment 99 of the mixing-chamber 21. Said sand is at the same time thoroughly stirred by the rotary motion of the rake, in combination with the transverse and longitudinal motion imparted to the said rake by the carriages 15 and 18, respectively, and at the same time the rake is revolved about a center not its own, being carried bodily in a circle by means of the carrier-frame 27, so that the film incrusting the sand and impurities on the upper surface of the sand are thoroughly stirred `upiand mixed in the lower compartment 99,the

suction applied through the pipe 23 drawing these impurities and the Water contained in .the lower compartment into the upper compartment 98, the partition 100 being provided for the purpose of separating the sand which .enters the interior of said mixing-chamber from the water and the impurities therein which pass up through said perforatedpartition, being drawn upwardly into the upper compartment 98 by thecentrifugal suction- IOO IOq

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pump 55.- 'rhe surface of the nner-bed is not necessarily perfectly. level, and beingsomewhat undulating in order that the teeth of the rake 22 should always project to the same depth below the surface of the sand and that said mixing-chamber, together with other parts hereinbefore described, should bear the same relative location to said surface, it is necessary that means should be provided to guide said mixing-chamber over the surface of the sand, and in Figs. 1, 3, and 4 I have illustrated such means, consisting of a guidingplate 129, fastened to the front end wall 26 of each mixing-chamber. Said guide-plates are curved upwardly at the outer ends 130in order to slide easily over any obstructions or inequalities which theyT may encounter while being revolved by the carrier-frame 27. As a further means of allowing the mixing-chamber and the rake to adapt themselves to the surface of the filter-bed the carrier-frame 27Ais supported by braces 31, connected to the collar 33 by springs 32, as hereinbefore described, and the connection of these spring-braces is such as to allow the outer end of the carrierframe, together with the mixing-chamber and rake, to descend until the teeth of the rake project into the surface of the sand by the weight of said mixing-chamber. The carrierframe 27 being somewhat flexible in construction allows said mixing-chamber and rake to descend a slight distance, such as would be represented by the inequalities of the surface of the filter-bed.

The specific construction of the mixingchamber 21 and of the rotary rake inclosed therein is substantially the same as that shown and described in another application made by me of even date, entitled Apparatus for cleaning sand filter-beds, Serial No. 105,776,

filed May 3, 1902; but in said application Serial No. 105,776 the mixing-chamber and rake are carried directly upon a supplementary carriage, the rake being rotated about an axial center located inside said mixing-chamber, no rotary or revolving motion being imparted to the mixing-chamber itself. In the apparatus hereinbefore described the mixingchamber and rake are supported upona carrier-frame which rotates in a horizontal plane, thus revolving the mixing-chamber and the rake about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber, the rake also having imparted thereto a rotary motion about an axial center located inside said mixing-chamber, in this particular instance said axial center being the center of the vertical pipe 104. Throughout the specification and claims of this application the word rotate as applied to the rake is used in its proper sense-viz., moved about its own axial center-Land the word revolve is used to indicate a motion of parts about an axial center not their own.

similar to that hereinbefore described and the rake inclosed within said mixing-chamber is rotated about an axial center located inside said' mixing-chamber. In the structure set forth in this application the rake and mixing-chamber are moved lengthwise of the filter-bed and transversely thereof and are at the same time both revolved about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamberviz. the vertical suction-pipe 34--the rake inclosed within the mixing-chamber having imparted thereto a rotary motion about an axial center located inside said mixing-chamber.

The general operation of the apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows: Assuming the mixing-chamber and the parts connected thereto to have been lowered to the surface of the iilter-bed, as shown in Fig. 1, and to be located in one corner of said filterbed, the motor 114 is started, thus rotating the rake inclosed within the mixing-chamber, together with the pipe 104, by means of the gears 115 116, together with the shaft 117, sprocket gear 120, sprocket chain 121, sprocket-gear 122. The carrier-frame is now rotated, revolving the mixing-chambers and rakes at each end thereof about the suctionpipe 34 as a center by means of the suction-pipe to which said carrier-frame is fastened, said suction-pipe 34 being rotated, as hereinbefore set forth, by the electric motor through the gears 69 68, shaft 66, and bevel-gears 67 and 40. Water is at the same time taken from the surface of the lter-bed and supplied to the mixing-chamber by means of the pump 109 through the pipes 128, 108, 107, 24, and 104, as hereinbefore described. Simultaneously with the rotary motion imparted to the carrier-frame 27 and to the suction-pipe 34 the supplementary carriage is propelled transversely of the filter-bed by means of the bevelgear 71 and one of the gears 72 73, one of said gears being thrown into clutch with the shaft 74 bythe lever 76. When the supplementary carriage has traveled across the filterbed, the motion of said carriage is stopped by throwing the clutch-lever into its central position and then propelling the main carriage 18 lengthwise of the filter-bed by means of the motor 81, which is thrown into engagement with the gearing hereinbefore described for propelling the shaft 96 by means of the lever 91 and clutch 90. These lengthwise and transverse movements of the two carriages are repeated until the'whole surface has been traversed by the mixing-chambers, and during these transverse and longitudinal movements of the mixing-chambers the rakes have been kept constantly in rotation and both rake and mixing-chamber have been revolved by the mechanism hereinbefore described. It will be seen that the rake is rotated about its own center and at the same time is revolved about the center of the suction-pipe 34 by means of the carrier-frame 27, upon which it is supported. While the mixing-chamber and rake are thus propelled over the sand of the filter-bed ths centrifu- ICO IIO

gal pump 55 is kept constantly in operation by means of the gearing hereinbefore described, said gearing beingdriven by means of the electric motor 70, and the water, mixed with the impurities which have been stirred up by the rake 22 and by the water issuing from the discharge-outlets 103, is drawn by the centrifugal pump through the horizontal suction-pipes 23 and the vertical suction-pi pe 34: and discharges through the outlet-pipe 56 into the trough 57, thence flowing into the channel 53, formed in the upper surface of the Wall 12 of the filter-bed, and thence flowing to any desirable outlet.

While I have described the water as being forced into the mixing-chambers by means of a pump which draws its supply from the surface water of the filter-bed, it is evident that water may be forced into said mixingchambers from other sources, if considered desirable, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated air-chambers 131 131, fastened tothe radial end Walls 132132 of the mixing-chamber 133. Said mixing-chamber is similar to the mixing-chamber 21, hereinbefore described,with the exception that valves 134 134 are provided upon the curved side walls 135 135 instead of upon the radial end walls, said valves being pivoted to said end walls 139 and held normally in a vertical'position by springs 140. The object of the valves 131 131 is to allow the ingress orcegress of the water to the mixingchamber for the purpose of keeping the water in the interior of said chamber at its normal level. While I have illustrated in 1Figs. 7 and S the bottom of the air-chamber 131 formed and acting as a guide-plate, it is evident that a guide-plate the same as hereinbefore shown and described in connection with Fig. 3 may beused and the air-chamber constructed as an independent fixture, preferably of a V shape. The air-chamber 131 is preferably formed of sheet metal and forms an air-tight compartment, the end Walls forming a continuation of the curved end walls 135 135, the lower wall 136 preferably being constructed to act as a guide-plate, performing the function of the guide-plate 129, hereinbefore described, and the upper Wall 137 of said airchamber being inclined downwardly from the top of the mixing-chamber 133 to meet said lower wall and form in conjunction therewith a V, which constitutes a cut-water. The object of the air-chambers 131 131 inaddition to cutting the Water and enabling the mixingchamber to be more easily forced through the water is to assist the springs 32 in sustaining the weight of the mixing-chamber, so that the same may not drag too heavily upon the surface of the filter-bed or dig into said lilterbed to too great a depth. The chambers 131 131 being air-tight act as iioats, so that the pressure of the mixing-chamber and parts connected therewith upon the surface of the filter-bed may be adjusted to a slight weight of,

perhaps, ten pounds. If desirable, a valve 13S maybe provided in the side wall of the air-chamber through which water may be admitted to the interior of said air-chamber, and thus adjust to a nicety the pressure of the mixing-chamber and floats upon the surface of the filter-bed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire by Letters Patent to secure,

1. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, mechanism for carrying said mixing-chamber lengthwise and transversely of said filter-beds, a guide resting upon the upper surface of said filter-beds and fast to said mixing-chamber to determine the height of said mixing-chamber in relation thereto, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber, about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber.

2. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, mechanism for carrying said mixing-chamber lengthwise and transversely of said filter-beds, means guided by the upper surface of said filter-beds to determine the relative location of said mixingchamber to said surface, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber, about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber.

3. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds,

a mixing-chamber, means for carrying said -side said mixing-chamber.

4. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds,

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a mixing-chamber, means for carrying said mixing-chamber over the surface of said lilter-beds, a guide resting upon the upper surface of said filter-beds and fast to said mixing-chamber to determine the relative location of said mixing-chamber to said surface, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber, about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber. y

5. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, means for washing the surface of the sand surrounded by said mixingchamber, means for carrying said mixingchamber over the surface of said filter-beds, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber, about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber.

6. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, means for washing the surface of the sand surrounded by said mixingchamber, a rake surrounded by said mixingchamber, means for carrying said mixingchamber over the surface of said filter-beds, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber and rake, about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber.

7. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, means for discharging wa- IIO ter below the surface of the sand inclosed by said mixing-chamber, a rake surrounded by said mixing-chamber, means for carrying said mixing-chamber over the surface of said {ilter-beds, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber and rake, about au axial center located outside said mixing-chamber.

8. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, means for conveying water downwardly below the surface of the sand inclosed by said mixing-chamber, a rake surrounded by said mixing-chamber, means for carrying said mixing-chamber over the surface of said filter-beds, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber and rake, about an axial center located outside said mixingchamber.

9. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, a rake surrounded by said mixing-chamber, said rake provided with hollow teeth arranged to project downwardly and provided with outlets to discharge water below the surface oi said filter-beds, means for carrying said mixing-chamber over the surface of said filter-beds, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber and rake, about an axial center located outside said mixingchamber.

l0. In an apparatus forcleaningvlilter-beds, a mixing-cham ber, a rake surrounded by said mixingchamber,said rake formed of pipe and having hollow teeth projecting downwardly from said pipe, said hollow teeth provided with outlets to discharge Water below the surface of said filter-beds, means to connect said rake to a water-supply, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber and rake, about an axial center located outside said mixingchamber.

ll. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, a rake surrounded by said mixing-chamber, mechanism to rotate said rake about an axial center located within said mixing-chamber, and mechanism lo revolve said rake and mixing chamber, about an axial center located outside said mixingchamber.

12. In anapparatusforcleaningfilter-beds, a mixing-chamber, a rake surrounded by said mixing-chamber, mechanism to rotate said rake about an axial center located within said mixing-chamber, means for carrying said mixing-chamber over the surface of said filterbeds, a suction-pipe connected to said mixingchamber, and mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber, about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber.

13. In an apparatus forcleaning lter-beds, a mixing-chamber, a rake surrounded by said mixing-chamber, mechanism to rotate said rake about an axial center located Within said mixing-chamber, means for carrying said mixing-chamber over the surfaceof said filterbeds, asuction-pipe connected to said mixingchamber, and mechanism to rotate said suction-pipe about its axial center and revolve said mixing-chamber about an axial center located outside thereof.

14E. In an apparatus for cleaning lter-beds, a vvertical suction-pipe, a horizontal suctionpipe fast to the lower end thereof, a mixingchamber fast to said horizontal suction-pipe, and mechanism to rotate said vertical suction-pipe and revolve said mixing-chamber, aboutan axial centerlocated outside said mixing-chamber.

l5. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a vertical suction-pipe, a horizontal suctionpipe fast thereto, a mixing-chamber fast to said horizontal suction-pipe, a rake inclosed within said mixing-chamber, and mechanism to rotate said vertical suction-pipe and revolve said rake and mixing-chamber about an axial center located outside said mixingchamber.

16. In an apparatus forcleaningfilter-beds, a vertical suction-pipe, a horizontal suctionpipe fast thereto, a mixing-chamber fast to said horizontal suction-pipe, a rake inclosed Within said mixing-chamber, mechanism to rotate said rake about an axial center located within said mixing-chamber, and mechanism to revolve said rake and mixing-chamber about an axial centerlocated outside said mixing-chamber.

17. In an apparatus for cleaning lilter-beds, a vertical suction-pipe, a horizontal suctionpipe fast thereto, a mixing-chamber fast to said horizontal suction-pipe, a rake inclosed within said mixing-chamber, mechanism to rotate said rake about an axial center located within said mixing-chamber, and mechanism to rotate said vertical suction-pipe and revolve said mixing-chamber and rake, about an axial center located outside said mixingchamber.

I8. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a vertical suction-pipe, a carrier-frame fast thereto and arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane, a mixing-chamber supported upon said carrier-frame, and mechanism to rotate said suction-pipe and carrier-frame, about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber and revolve said mixing-chamber about said axial center.

I9. In an apparatusforcleaninglter-beds, a vertical suction-pipe, a carrier-frame fast thereto and arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane, a mixing-chamber supported upon said carrier-frame, a rake inclosed within said mixing-chamber, mechanism supported on said carrier-frame to rotate said rake about an axial center located within said mixing-chamber, and mechanism to rotate said suctionpipes and carrier-frame, about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber.

20. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a vertical suction-pipe, a carrier-frame fast thereto and arranged to rotate in alhorizontal plane, a rake formed of pipe supported upon said carrier-frame, and revolved by said carrier-frame about an axial center located out- ICO IIO

side said rake, and a water-supply pipe connected to said rake.

21. In anapparatusfor'cleaningfilter-beds, a vertical suction-pipe, a carrier-frame fast thereto and arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane, a rake formed of pipe supported upon.

said carrier-frame and revolved bysaid carrier-frame about an axial center located outside said rake, a water-supply pipe connected to said rake, and mechanism to rotatesaidsurrounded by said mixing-chamber, and a pump supported upon said carrier-frame and operatively connected to pump water from the surface of said iilter-bed to said rake.

In an apparatus for cleaning lter-beds, a carrier-frame arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane, a mixing-chamber supported upon said carrier-frame and revolved by said carrier-frame about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber, a rake formed of pipe surrounded by said mixing-chamber, and a pump supported on said carrier-frame and operatively connected to pump water from the surface of said iilter-bed to said rake.

24. An apparatus for cleaning lter-beds comprising a carriage arranged to travel lengthwise of said beds, a vertical suctionpipe, a pump operatively connected to said pipe, and mechanism to rotate said pipe, all supported upon said carriage; a carrier-frame fast to said suction-pipe and arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane, a mixing-chamber supported upon said carrier-frame and revolved by said carrier-frame about an axial center located outside said mixing-chamber, a horizontal suction -pipe connecting said mixing-chamber and Vertical suction-pipe, a rake formed of pipe surrounded by saidmixing-chamber, a pump supported on said carrier-frame and operatively connected to pump water from the surface of said filter-bed to said rake.

to the lower end thereof andV arranged to 1'o.

tate iu a horizontal plane, a mixing-chamber, and arake supported upon said carrier-frame and revolved by said carrier-frame about an axial center located outside said mixingchamber, and supporting-springs connected from said suction-pipe to said carrier-frame.

27. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, mechanism for carrying said mixing-chamber lengthwise and transversely of said filter-beds, and a float fast to said mixing-chamber. 4

28. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, mechanism for carrying said mixing-chamber lengthwise and transversely of said filter-beds, mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber, and an air-chamber fast to one of the walls of said mixingchamber.

29. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds, a mixing-chamber, mechanism for carrying said mixing-chamber lengthwisev and transversely of said filter-beds, mechanism to revolve said' mixing-chamber, and a V-shaped air-chamber fast to one of the walls oi' said mixing-chamber and constituting both a float and a cut-water.

30. In an apparatus for cleaning filter-beds,

a mixing-chamber, mechanism kfor carrying' said mixing-chamber lengthwise and transvrsely of said filter-beds, mechanism to revolve said mixing-chamber, and an air-chamber fast to one of the walls of said mixingchamber, the under side of said chamber curved upwardly at its front end and acting as a guide-plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto-set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I-IIRAM W. BLAISDELL.

Witnesses:

CHARLES S. GOODING, ANNIE J. DAILEY. 

